Back in the day when things were cool, hey – all we needed was bop-bop, bop-bop, bop-ba-domp.

This is the story of Jamel Shabazz, a Brooklyn man and most of all an African American documentary photographer. He has gained international recognition through his images collected nowadays in books, exhibitions, magazines. At the age of fifteen, Jamel picked up his first camera, a Kodad Instamatic and started documenting friends, family and his neighbourhood, the African American community. Years later, he purchased a Canon AE1 and embarked a journey that still continues nowadays. Shabazz story-told the emerging 80’s hip-hop scene before it became what’s today: a multi-million-dollar industry. Gangs would battle not with guns but by breakdancing and streets were the set for style. He was on the scene, taking pictures of everyday people in Harlem, Queens, Brooklyn. Street style where subjects would strike a pose showing off Kangol caps and Gazelle glasses, Adidas and suede Puma sneakers, fat laces, leather jackets, gold chains, door-knocker earrings, name belts, boom boxes. And YES!..those things were cool..keep it real! …bop-bop, bop-bop, bop-ba-domp…